Opinion
Snow Days Bring Worries for Adults

What Is Real Purpose of Animal Law?

Let's Get State Police Out on the Road Again

It's Time To Fork Over All that Unspent Pork

Kudos and Thanks for Quick Response

Edgewood Parade Turned Out Nicely

AYP Status Doesn't Tell Whole Story

Letters to the Editor

Editorial: Hibbs Has Done Job of 2 Mayors

Editorial: Law Revised for Problem Animals

More
Opinion

HOME	CLASSIFIEDS	OBITUARIES	SPORTS	OPINION

Thursday, January 15, 2004

Guest View: Alternative Otero Idea Supported

By Sandra Knox and Hugh Martin

    We are concerned citizens of New Mexico who know that having Kirtland Air Force Base and Sandia National Laboratory as our neighbor creates special security concerns. We agree that leaving Kirtland Air Force Base vulnerable by not building a perimeter fence would be an irresponsible act by Col. Andrews and the current command. (Guest View, Mountain View Telegraph, Jan. 8.) The need for a fence to secure the perimeter of the KAFB is not being held in question.
    What is in dispute, however, is the necessity of building this fence in the location that Kirtland Air Force Base has proposed.
    Otero Canyon is a popular hiking, biking, equestrian and bird watching area on the east side of the Sandia Mountains. This area is part of a "military withdrawal" that has been leased by KAFB, but not blocked from public use, for the past 50 years. The subsequent trail system that has been partially built by the U.S. Forest Service for public use has been called one of the "jewels of New Mexico" and is a nationally known destination for recreationalists.
    Kirtland Air Force Base's currently proposed fence line would cut off public use to approximately 75 percent of this popular trail system.
    A local advocacy group, Friends of Otero Canyon, has submitted an alternative proposal to the base that would not only meet the base security needs, but would also allow continued public access to this beautiful and pristine area. At the public meeting held on this issue (June 23, 2003), Kirtland officials admitted that their proposed fence would be difficult and costly to build, and that they would even be unable to build a continuous fence in certain sections due to the ruggedness of the terrain. Many people believe that the alternative fence location proposed by the Friends of Otero Canyon would be less costly, easier to build and maintain, and would follow existing fence, road and terrain and yet still address KAFB's security concerns.
    This trail system is used extensively by a great cross section of people, as was evidenced by the public meeting that attracted over 600 people to a local hotel conference room to voice their opposition to Kirtland's proposal. In addition, through both paper and online petitions, close to 3,000 people have signed in opposition of the proposed fence. Since the public meeting, the following entities have come out in support of the Save Otero Canyon movement:
   

Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., sent a letter to new Base Commander Hank Andrews stating "This issue is important to many of my constituents and I am asking you to consider the alternative plan (from Friends of Otero Canyon) for fencing in Otero Canyon." She expressed her belief that "this alternative plan presented by a coalition of hikers, cyclists, horseback riders and others who utilize the nature area should be seriously considered."
    Further, she stated that the issue is not a "zero sum game" and that the base's security needs could be met while still allowing access to trails in the area. Rep. Wilson also has a link to the Save Otero Web site on her congressional E-Newsletter, as well as an online opinion poll regarding Otero Canyon that had 94 percent of respondents voicing opposition to the proposed fence line.
   

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., met with Col. Andrews and hiked the trails of Otero Canyon while discussing Kirtland AFB's proposed fence line. Also, in a letter to the new commander, Bingaman asks Andrews to work with the community to develop a solution that addresses both the base's security concerns and the community's desire to continue using the trails. In the letter, Bingaman states "I have no objection to the construction of a fence if it is necessary for the Base's security; however, the Base has not made a compelling case that such a fence must be erected in the proposed location." He continues, "I hope that you can work with your staff, the community, the Forest Service, and my office to find an alternative that will meet both the needs of the Base and of the community."
   

Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., wrote a letter to the Chief of Community Relations at Kirtland AFB stating that "I would like to extend my support to the Save Otero Canyon project and the effort to keep Otero Canyon open to the public." Also, he wrote that "the members of the Save Otero Canyon project have come up with a thorough and well-planned alternative to the plan of the Department of Defense," and "National magazines have recognized trails in Otero Canyon as being among the best in the country. It would be a shame to lose this wilderness treasure and the tourism that this area brings."
   

In the East Mountains village of Tijeras, a small community that would be economically impacted if the Otero Canyon trails were closed to the public, the Village Council unanimously passed a resolution asking that Kirtland AFB work with the public to keep the Otero Canyon Trail system open.
   

The Albuquerque City Council unanimously passed a resolution, sponsored by Councilor Eric Griego, asking that Kirtland AFB work cooperatively to develop a fencing proposal that allows continued public access to the Otero Canyon trail system to preserve the quality of life for present and future generations.
   

The Bernalillo County Commission unanimously passed a proclamation, sponsored by Commissioner Michael Brasher, in support of an "open dialogue" between Kirtland Air Force Base and the city of Albuquerque and the development of a fencing proposal that allows continued public access to the Otero Canyon trails.
    In the end, we would like to remind Col. Andrews and his "professional team" examining this issue, that they are ultimately just guests in our community.
    For both the colonel and his team, their normal tenure here in our state is only 2-3 years in length. They need to realize that the actions and decisions that they take and make, while only affecting them for a few years, will affect our community forever. Col. Andrews stated that "we appreciate the feedback we have received from the community on this issue." What we hope is that he is hearing the voices of our politicians, our governing bodies and our people. Save Otero Canyon.
    Sandra Knox and Hugh Martin are Albuquerque residents.